Shivraj Singh Chouhan returns as CM for the fourth time

Due to the Coronavirus situation, no BJP leader from Delhi travelled to Bhopal for the legislature party meeting, though the party's central observers, Arun Singh and VinaySahasrabuddhe participated through video-conferencing

Shivraj Singh Chouhan returns as CM for the fourth time

BJP leaders Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Gopal Bhargava offer sweets to each other as they celebrate Kamal Nath's resignation from the CM's post in Bhopal, on Friday. Pic/PTI

Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday returned as chief minister of Madhya Pradesh for the fourth time, over 15 months after his government was voted out of power. The 61-year-old BJP leader was sworn in by Governor Lalji Tandon at Raj Bhawan here at 9 pm. Chouhan was earlier in the day elected leader of the state BJP legislature party at its meeting.

Popularly known among his followers as 'Mamaji', Chouhan was sworn in chief minister of Madhya Pradesh thrice earlier — in 2005, after Uma Bharti stepped down over a riots case, and for later two full terms in 2008 and 2013.

He stepped down after the Congress won a narrow majority in the December 2018 Assembly elections, after which the Kamal Nath government came to power. Stumped by the rebellion of party colleague Jyodiraditya Scindia, who joined the BJP and resignations of 22 Congress MLAs, Nath resigned as chief minister last week, paving way for Chouhan's return.

BJP MLA resigns

Minutes before the BJP legislators meeting was scheduled to begin on Monday evening to elect a new leader, senior party MLA Gopal Bhargava tendered his resignation from the post of Leader of Opposition in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly. “Today, on March 23, 2020, I tender my resignation from the post of Leader of Opposition. Please accept my resignation forthwith,” Bhargava said in a letter addressed to the Assembly secretariat's principal secretary.

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